Publications

Contractions continue in Europe and the US, but a 2025 rebound is on the cards

Electronics/ICT will be one of the fastest growing sectors globally in 2024-2025

Has the machines sector flown under the sustainability radar?

A stand-out finding from our survey is that trading on credit continues to play a key role in B2B sales strategy for businesses in Turkiye..

Our survey finds that a notable 44% of Romanian businesses are opting to outsource credit risk management rather than managing it in-house.

There is widespread concern across all sectors in Bulgaria about the trend of Days-Sales-Outstanding (DSO) indicating a decline in debt collection efficiency.

A rise in customer credit risk among businesses in the Czech Republic is evident in our survey.

Companies in Poland say they usually respond by delaying payments to their own suppliers. However, this comes with the risk of a domino effect through a particular industry.

Around 70% of companies in Slovakia report a worsening of payment practices, with just over four in five B2B invoices currently overdue.

While many companies in our survey of Slovenia say they are open to trading on credit in B2B sales there is a generally cautious and risk averse approach in practice.

Economic strain shapes customer credit risk landscape across the CEE region. 60% of companies anticipate a rise in insolvencies.

Companies in our survey of Hungary continue to show a cautious approach to B2B trading on credit in the current challenging economic times.

The crisis on the gas market, triggered by sharply reduced supplies from Russia, forced Europe to cut back gas demand and look for alternative supplies.

Clear change of approach among companies in Italy to their payment policies to balance cashflow while meeting B2B customer demands.

The use of trade credit in B2B sales strategy continues to play a hugely significant role for companies in the United Kingdom.

Swiss companies are enhancing their strategic credit management to mitigate the disruptive impact of payment risks.

Swedish companies have difficulties in collecting large, long-overdue payments from customers, which is leading to liquidity problems.

Customer credit risk volatility stems from Spain's challenging economic climate.

There is a widely varying trade credit landscape for Dutch business across all sectors in the current challenging economic climate.

Businesses in Ireland are grappling with customer credit risk challenges, emphasizing the need for robust credit risk management strategies.

An unsettling variation in B2B customer payment behaviour is evident in our survey of Greek companies.

Companies in Germany are having to grapple with the consequences of a deteriorated credit risk landscape.

Bad debts surge highlights the complexities companies in Denmark currently face in managing customer credit risk.

Across the sectors surveyed in Belgium, a significant amount of revenue generated from B2B transactions on credit is lost due to customers failing to pay their debts.

Negative DSO and bad debts trend create financial strain for Austrian businesses.

Finnish businesses have a cautious approach to trade credit in B2B sales.

Longer DSO and an increase in bad debts create a perfect storm for Western European companies as they grapple with the problem of maintaining sufficient working capital.

There is anxiety among French businesses about the level of bad debts, which now affect 10% of all invoiced B2B sales, double that of last year.

Car sales have cooled down after double digit growth in 2023

Can the industry cut its own emissions and improve the health of the planet?

Our Trade Sector Specialists share their insights on the key issues affecting the food and beverages industry in the Americas, Asia-Pacific and in Europe

Metals and steel producers in advanced markets face demand recovery

Low- and middle-income countries still face debt problems. Several of them have fallen into default in the past years. Still, restructuring has become increasingly complex.

The widespread financial hardship currently experienced by many businesses creates the prospect of a steep rise in insolvencies over the coming months.

While inflation is decreasing, past interest rate rises continue to affect households and businesses. Against this backdrop, we looked for ‘bright spots’ in sector performance.

Demand for clean energy and biofuels expected to grow

Post-pandemic adjustments or an adverse new normal?

A significant producer of CO2, but also a clean energy powerhouse

Growth of renewables presents both opportunity and threat

The pathway to a net-zero emission future is getting increasingly narrow but it's not yet off track.

Civil engineering drives industry, while economic conditions still weigh on residential construction activity

Production growth and decreasing food prices, but downside risks remain

Latin America and the Caribbean's critical mineral resources are needed for the global energy transition but the sustainability of their mining needs to be prioritised.

A barometer of sustainability change

Our global electronics/ICT sector expert shares his insights and opinion on how AI will impact the industry.

Ukraine has received large amounts of foreign aid in the past two years. This aid continues to be critical in the coming years as well.

Global output and sales growth pick up in 2024

The global economy has proven more resilient than expected. However, it is moving towards lower growth in 2024.

Industry growth decelerating this year

High inflation and interest rates have knocked consumer confidence